


Better Late Than Never

by TeamDamon



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Bottom Yamcha, Explicit Sexual Content, First Kiss, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tien is gay af, bisexual Yamcha, listen these boys deserve better than canon will ever give them so I’m fixing that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:22:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25577995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamDamon/pseuds/TeamDamon
Summary: With Puar and Chiaotzu away, Yamcha spends a week with Tien on his mountain farm. Things don’t quite go as planned but then again, Yamcha’s used to that by now. What he isn’t used to are things turning out even better than he could have ever dreamed.
Relationships: Tenshinhan/Yamcha (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 125





	Better Late Than Never

**Author's Note:**

> SO. I started this back in March (!) with the intent of it being a tie-in to Feel You in My Bones, and explaining how Tien and Yamcha got together in that fic. It can still serve as that but now that so much time has passed idk if anyone still cares about how they got together in that particular story so, I’m just throwing this out there as a stand-alone fic and hoping for the best 😂 also I hope I did these boys justice cause I love them and just want them to be happy 🥺 mostly I’m just thrilled that I’m FINALLY done with this thing and I hope you guys like it!! Woo hoo, one WIP out of many down 😂

“Wake up, Princess. Time to pull your weight around here.”

Yamcha groaned and sunk further into the couch he was sprawled out on, pulling up the thin fleece blanket atop him over his face. “I’m a guest, man. You treat all your guests like this?”

Tien smirked lightly and yanked the blanket away. “Only the assholes.”

Yamcha sighed, cracking open one sleepy eye. “Can we at least eat first?”

A piece of dry toast then smacked him in the face, and Yamcha muttered his sarcastic thanks as Tien grinned and walked away. Yamcha sat up and stuck the toast in his mouth, grimacing as he took note of the lack of sunrise outside the farmhouse’s windows. He could never cut it as a farmer, he thought for about the hundredth time that week as he dragged himself off the couch and resigned himself to another cold, early morning in the mountains. 

He had been staying at Tien’s farm for the last few days, having offered to visit and lend a hand while Chiaotzu and Puar were off on a rare tropical getaway with Oolong and a few others. Really it was a thinly veiled excuse to not be alone while his usual companion was away and while he had little to distract himself with. Baseball season was recently over and the world was at peace currently, and Yamcha was also chronically single these days, so what better way to pass the time than catch up with an old friend and freeze his ass off while helping feed the goats?

Besides the ungodly early mornings, he’d been rather enjoying himself and his time spent with his old reclusive friend. They didn’t see each other terribly frequently these days but it hardly mattered, as they always picked up where they last left off as if no time had passed at all. It was the mark of a truly solid friendship, Yamcha had learned long ago, and Tien’s unassuming and stoic nature was a welcome change to the usual personalities that Yamcha dealt with on a daily basis. 

The daily chores on the farm, though - they were a different story, except for the animals. Thankfully Tien had let him take his pick of the chores and didn’t mind taking care of everything else while Yamcha kept to what he considered to be the easier stuff (besides the chickens - those things were  _ brutal _ .)

On this particular early morning, Yamcha ate quickly and threw on a few warm layers and a pair of worn boots before heading outside into the frigid mountain air. He flinched at the rush of cold air to his face but couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the landscape, all pristine snowy fields with a stunning mountainous backdrop that would never get old. The stars were bright and clear and the air was the cleanest he’d ever breathed, and it almost made up for the horribly uncomfortable temperatures. Almost. 

He headed quickly towards the barn that sat on the opposite end of the property, hands in his coat pockets and teeth already chattering a bit, and he’d nearly reached his destination when something hovering in midair to his right caught his eye. He stopped in his tracks when he realized it was Tien, eyes closed and legs crossed as he sat meditating in midair,  _ shirtless _ . He was actually insane, Yamcha realized, opening his mouth to yell at him and ask if he was trying to get hypothermia before remembering what had happened the last time he’d interrupted his meditation. 

With an incredulous huff, Yamcha resumed his trek to the barn but hesitated once he got there, pausing at the doors to look up again at his friend. He looked so serene, otherworldly even, and it wasn’t long before Yamcha felt his cheeks start heating up despite the cold. 

_ Nope _ , he resolved silently as he looked away and pushed the barn doors open,  _ not going there again _ . He’d worked long and hard to overcome his old crush on the man who’d never expressed much if any romantic interest in anyone let alone  _ him _ , and he wasn’t gonna let his traitorous brain drag him back into that particular hell. 

Still, once he’d fed the animals in the barn and finished getting all the obligatory pets in, he walked back outside to find the sun finally peeking out above the snowy peaks and Tien still exactly where he’d been before. The only difference was now the morning light made him look almost angelic, and Yamcha just barely stifled the urge to groan before a voice unexpectedly cut through his thoughts. 

“You just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?”

Yamcha stiffened and blushed, wondering if Tien was hiding a fourth eye somewhere, considering all three of his were closed. But he quickly recovered and yelled back, “Just wondering how long it’ll take you to freeze to death and how I’m gonna break the news to Chiaotzu.”

Tien chuckled, his eyes finally opening and darting down to his guest. “Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever you say,” Yamcha shrugged, tugging at his coat. “Don’t come cryin’ to me when you’re a crane-sicle.”

Tien snorted, eyes closing again. “Clever.”

Yamcha snorted back and began trudging back towards the house, though not without several glances back Tien’s way. He stayed where he was, seemingly immune to the cold and the picture of total inner peace, and Yamcha wasn’t sure if he should be jealous of Tien’s commitment to his training or if he should pity him for his obvious insanity. Neither option felt quite right, though, so Yamcha settled for doing what he did best as he cast one last look towards his friend - admiring him from afar. 

He closed the front door with a sigh. This week might just prove to be harder than he thought. 

—

“Fuck!” Yamcha cried later that day, staggering back after having taken a hard punch to the nose. “Shit, Tien, would you take it easy? Ow…”

Tien paused and dropped his fists, breathing harder than usual as he replied, “You specifically told me not to pull my punches.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say to break my nose!” Yamcha pouted, and Tien rolled his eyes before stepping forward and batting Yamcha’s hands away from his face. 

“Let me look,” Tien muttered, and Yamcha stopped breathing as rough hands suddenly cradled his face and tilted it back. Tien examined him carefully, turning his face from one side to the other, and then after carefully prodding at Yamcha’s nose with careful thumbs, he dropped his hands and declared, “It’s not broken.”

Yamcha felt slightly dizzy and suddenly overheated despite the snowy ground that served as their training space. “Good,” he muttered, hoping like hell that his cheeks didn’t look as hot as they felt. 

“Sorry,” Tien muttered back, and the two men stood there silently for a few seconds, significantly closer to each other than usual. Yamcha was about to break a sweat and dart away when Tien beat him to the punch, glancing up towards the sun and saying, “We ought to get started on dinner.”

_ Oh thank Kami _ , Yamcha thought to himself, even though he felt as disappointed as he was relieved. It was always like this with Tien, always wanting more and always craving the boundaries between them to shrink even as he ran away terrified nearly every time it started to happen even a little bit. 

“Okay,” Yamcha agreed, brushing off his clothes as he made to follow Tien back to the house. “What’s on the menu tonight, chef?”

Tien shot him a smirk over his shoulder. “Stew.”

Yamcha made a face, even as he suppressed a shudder from that smirk.  _ Pull it together, idiot _ . “Again?”

“If you don’t like it, feel free to fend for yourself.”

“You know, we  _ could _ fly into the city instead and get something there,” Yamcha pointed out, catching up and now walking at Tien’s side. “I know a great little restaurant that has the  _ best _ steak and the best part is, they love me so they always give me a discount.”

Tien scoffed. “And what did you do to make them love you so much?”

“Ah, well, you know,” Yamcha shrugged, closing his eyes and grinning lazily, “the owner and I might have had a few dates awhile back. Real nights to remember, if you know what I mean.”

Tien rolled all three of his eyes. “Must have been, if she’s still giving you discounts.”

Yamcha faltered, opening his mouth to correct Tien’s assumption that the owner was a woman, but the words died on his tongue. Instead he clamped his mouth shut and swallowed down the sudden lump in his throat, eventually replying with, “What can I say, I always make sure to always leave a good impression.”

“Sure, playboy,” Tien teased, opening the door to the farmhouse. “By the way, you’re on chopping duty again.”

Yamcha groaned. “Can’t you at least deal with the onions this time? That shit burns, man.”

“No can do,” Tien replied breezily, heading off to his room to get cleaned up. “Besides, you’re so much  _ better _ at dicing them up than I am. I’d hate to let your talents go to waste.”

Yamcha shot him a glare and planted his hands on his hips. “You really do treat your guests like shit, don’t you?”

Tien glanced back at him as he pulled his shirt over his shoulders, unknowingly making Yamcha suppress yet another groan. “Like I said,” he grinned. “Only the assholes.”

—

His eyes still somewhat watery after his ordeal with the onions, Yamcha swiped the back of his hand over the corner of his left eye and reached for the glass of Merlot that paired wonderfully with the stew he was half finished with. A question was floating around his brain and had been for awhile now, and this time it escaped before he could shove it back down. 

“So, you and Launch - what happened there? You still seeing her?”

Tien damn near choked on his own wine, coughing quietly before gulping down another mouthful and muttering, “Who says I ever was?”

Yamcha furrowed his brows. “... Really? But I thought…”

Tien groaned. “It didn’t last long.”

“Oh.” He sure didn’t seem to want to talk about it but then again, this  _ was _ Tien. Sometimes he needed a bit of coaxing. “Why not?”

Tien ate a few bites of his own dinner before responding, “Incompatibility.”

“Ah. I figured it was the whole weird sneezing thing.” When Tien didn’t reply to that, Yamcha added, “So when you were with her was it the blonde or the blue?”

“Do we really have to talk about this?” Tien asked in a surprisingly weary tone, rubbing briefly at his forehead. 

“No,” Yamcha quickly replied. “Not at all. I was just curious. I mean you live up here all alone with Chiaotzu and we don’t really see you guys very often. I’m sure it gets lonely, but a lady might make it easier.”

“Trust me, Launch made nothing easier,” Tien muttered, eyes on his bowl. 

“I believe you, man,” Yamcha nodded easily. He’d never thought they’d make a very good pair, himself. “So is there another lucky lady, then?”

Tien sighed in exasperation, looking up at Yamcha tiredly. “Why are you so stuck on this subject?”

Yamcha grinned. “I’m not, I just - if it was  _ me _ up here with just Puar all the time, I’d go crazy.”

“Well, not all of us live at the mercy of our dicks, Yamcha.”

Yamcha narrowed his eyes and pointed his spoon at Tien threateningly. “Maybe you’d be less of a dick if you actually used yours every once in awhile.”

Tien actually cracked a grin and laughed at that, shaking his head and reaching for his wine. “You’re such an asshole.”

Yamcha grinned back. “We should hit the town one of these days and get you hooked up. I’m a fantastic wingman.”

Tien visibly shuddered. “Absolutely not.”

“Why not? It would be fun!”

“No,” Tien replied decisively, his eyes narrowing warningly. “I’m not interested. Drop it.”

Yamcha sighed and downed the rest of his wine. “Fine. Buzzkill.”

“That’s me,” Tien nodded, but Yamcha knew better. He knew the power and the fury that ran in those veins of his, knew the passion that drove Tien to be among the strongest humans on the entire planet. Maybe he wasn’t interested in sex the way that other men were and that was absolutely fine, but Yamcha suspected there was a whole other side of him beneath the surface that just hadn’t been lured out yet. 

He had  _ always _ suspected that. The problem was, he knew that he’d never get to find out firsthand. 

—

The next morning, Tien once again dragged Yamcha off the couch entirely too early for his tastes. This time, however, Tien was stuffing his feet into his snow boots when he noticed Yamcha limping slightly as he walked towards the farmhouse’s only bathroom. 

“You okay?”

Yamcha stilled and turned to find Tien watching him with concern, his eyes on his left leg. Realization dawned on Yamcha as he sleepily replied, “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“You’re limping,” Tien pointed out skeptically. 

“It’s just my leg,” Yamcha shrugged. “It’ll be fine once I get moving. The cold just makes it worse.”

But Tien looked positively aghast. “Your leg… still bothers you?”

_ Aw, fuck _ . Yamcha knew that look. Guilt. “Tien, it’s really not a big deal, I swear.”

His words fell on deaf ears. Tien stared at Yamcha’s leg until he tore his eyes away with a grimace, reaching for the door and throwing himself outside into the frigid air before Yamcha could get another word in. 

_ Shit _ . 

—

Tien stayed quieter than usual that day, and when the two men shared their usual afternoon spar, Yamcha immediately knew something was off. 

Tien wasn't just pulling his punches - he was barely even  _ tapping _ him. In fact, he stayed on the defensive for the most part, and no amount of taunting or demanding would make him finally give in and give Yamcha a good fight. 

It was absolutely infuriating. 

“Dude, what the hell,” Yamcha finally panted, his hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath after chasing Tien around the whole damn property and only getting blocked for all his effort. 

Tien, visibly uncomfortable and avoiding eye contact, stared down at the ground as he muttered, “I’m not really in the mood to spar.”

Yamcha shot him a knowing glare. “Since when? Come on, Tien, what’s going on? You’ve been off all day.”

“It’s nothing,” Tien insisted. “Just tired.”

“Bullshit,” Yamcha retorted, earning himself a surprised and sharp look from the other man. “I’ve known you forever. I know when you’re lying, you’re terrible at it.”

Tien’s surprised expression gave way to an unexpectedly angry one. “Mind your own business, Yamcha.” Then he turned and marched back towards the house, and Yamcha didn’t follow him. 

He let out a breath and dragged his hands over his face. 

_ Double shit. _

—

Despite their close quarters, Yamcha didn’t see Tien for the rest of the day. He ate leftovers for dinner and went to bed early, deciding on a course of action for the next day before sleep overcame him. 

When Tien emerged from his bedroom the following morning before dawn as always, he was shocked to find a veritable feast waiting for him in the kitchen. Yamcha had gotten up even earlier than him and cooked an enormous breakfast, complete with homemade pancakes that Panchy Briefs had taught him to make many moons ago. 

And when Tien looked up from the spread to Yamcha’s nervous smile, flour all over his clothes and even in his long hair as it spilled over his shoulders, Tien couldn’t help but smile back. 

Yamcha was instantly flooded with relief. 

—

“C‘mon, Tien,” Yamcha sing-songed, pouring his friend a glass of dark liquor and sliding it to him across the kitchen table. “Don’t make me drink alone, s’no fun.”

Tien groaned quietly, eyeing the liquor like it might grow fangs and attack him. “I’m not much of a drinker.”

“Come  _ onnn _ ,” Yamcha whined, knowing he was being obnoxious but he just couldn’t find it in him to care. “Just a few drinks. For me?”

Tien glanced up at him, and Yamcha put on the most convincing pout that he was capable of. Tien’s scowl cracked and turned into a quiet chuckle followed by a sigh, and Yamcha cheered as Tien finally reached for the glass and took a sip. 

It wasn’t that he was trying to get Tien drunk, specifically. He just wanted to loosen up for awhile, the atmosphere between them feeling a peculiar kind of way despite their make-up breakfast that morning, and getting both of them at least a little drunk seemed like the best way to do that. 

The funny thing was, once Tien got started he had no problem continuing, despite his initial protests. They ended up ditching their glasses and drinking straight from the bottle on the living room floor, their backs to the front of the couch as they took turns taking sips and sharing random memories as they sprang to mind. 

“That was such a weird experience,” Tien groaned, dragging a hand over his head. “And King Kai’s house was so small. I still remember sleeping sandwiched between you and Piccolo every night on the floor and waking up with bruises from where you’d kick me in your sleep.”

Yamcha laughed, tipsy but not quite drunk, enjoying the heat slithering through his veins as he took another swig from the bottle. He sure as hell remembered those days too and how hard it had been at first to fall asleep in such close proximity to the other man, his scent and his heat all but inescapably surrounding him. But in time he grew comfortable and began to secretly  _ love _ it, and when they’d been wished back to Earth he’d greatly missed having Tien lying there next to him every night. He’d kept that to himself, of course, since he didn’t think Bulma would have quite understood. 

Not that it had done him a whole lot of good. 

“I kinda miss those days,” Yamcha admitted with a sigh, handing Tien the bottle. “Not the being dead part. Just the… I don’t know.”

“Being younger part?” Tien guessed. 

“Maybe,” Yamcha mused. He didn’t wanna think about that, though, or the fact that he was closer to 50 than he was to 40 and still perpetually single and living in a modest apartment in West City. It certainly wasn’t where he’d imagined himself to be by this age, that was for damn sure. 

“I think I know what you mean,” Tien said after a few moments of silence. “But hey, you’ve got a pretty good life, right? Good career, good friends… good looks. You seeing anyone?”

His heart pounding from the unexpected compliment, Yamcha swallowed hard before replying, “No, not at the moment. I had something going for awhile but… didn’t last.”  _ Never does _ , he mentally added rather bitterly. 

“Anyone I know?”

Yamcha’s instinct was to clam up and change the subject, but his mouth started moving before his brain could catch up. “You ever watch my ball games?”

Tien paused. “Sometimes.”

“Shortstop,” Yamcha replied before grabbing the bottle from Tien’s hands and taking a generous gulp. 

Tien blinked. Drunk and flushed and, now, rather shocked, Tien looked far more innocent than any hilariously jacked shirtless man ever had the right to as the implication of Yamcha’s words set in. “... Oh.”

Yamcha grimaced as he pulled the bottle from his lips, wishing he hadn’t said that. But oh well, couldn’t take it back now. 

“So you’re -“

“Bi,” Yamcha finished for him, nodding and staring ahead, too afraid to glance at the other man. “ _ Very _ .”

“Oh.” A pause. “I didn’t know.”

“Never really came up, I guess.” Then he cleared his throat and added, “Yeah, so, we were together for awhile. Seemed promising at first but. Yeah. Before him I dated a nurse, she was sweet. Too sweet. And then before her…” He shook his head. “Just more of the same.”

“Sorry, man,” Tien replied quietly. “That sucks.”

Yamcha shrugged, leaning his head back against the couch and closing his eyes. “Least I’ve got Puar.”

A brief silence stretched between them, Yamcha’s mind wandering behind his closed eyes until it was dragged back to the present with Tien’s next words. 

“I haven’t… since Launch. She was the only woman I’ve… been with.”

Yamcha’s head snapped up, his eyes whirling straight to Tien and finding him incredibly flushed. “What?”

Tien swallowed, staring absolutely anywhere but at his friend. “Yeah.”

Yamcha was shocked. For a minute he was convinced that he must be so drunk that he was hearing things. “You’ve never slept with anyone but her?” Tien shook his head, still looking more embarrassed than a child caught stealing candy, and Yamcha’s jaw hit the floor. “Tien, what the fuck?”

“It wasn’t even that good, okay?” Tien snapped, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing, eyes fixed on the wall to his right. “I didn’t see what all the fuss was about so I just… didn’t bother, after.”

Yamcha blinked owlishly. “Wasn’t… that good?” Did those words even work together in a sentence? 

“Listen, if you’re just gonna be a dick about it -“

“I’m not, I’m not! I’m sorry,” Yamcha quickly apologized, a rush of shame coming over him. “Really, I’m not trying to be a jerk. I just didn’t expect that, that’s all.” When Tien continued to sit there and brood, Yamcha shrugged and said, “Hey, maybe you’re just asexual. Lots of people are.”

“I’m not asexual,” Tien grumbled, crossing his arms tighter. 

“... All right,” Yamcha replied, scratching at his head. He felt like he just kept saying the wrong things, somehow, and like there was something obvious that he was missing, but hell if his increasingly sluggish brain could figure out what it was. “Well then in that case, you and me  _ definitely _ gotta go out one of these nights and get you some action.”

Tien groaned. “Yamcha, I  _ really _ don’t -“

“Seriously!” Yamcha interrupted obliviously, bumping Tien’s bare shoulder with his own. “You just need some more experience. Maybe you and Launch weren’t compatible but that doesn’t mean sex is  _ always _ lousy - it’s great most of the time! And when you find someone you really click with, oh man - nothing else in the world like it.”

Tien fell silent. “I suppose you’d know.”

Yamcha laughed. “Sure would. Bulma was my first, and fuck,” he groaned, dropping his head back again and closing his eyes. “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.” 

Tien turned to watch him as he spoke, his eyes roving the curve of Yamcha’s throat and the peek of his collarbone through the simple black t-shirt he wore. Yamcha didn’t notice. 

“Our relationship was a mess but the sex was always incredible,” he sighed wistfully. “Honestly no woman I’ve ever slept with has ever been as good in bed as her. But she  _ is _ Bulma, so not surprising. Point is, it’s all about the chemistry.”

Tien hummed, looking away just before Yamcha’s eyes opened again. “Hmm.”

Yamcha grinned at him. “ _ And _ it’s a great stress reliever, too.”

Tien rolled his eyes, taking another drink of the sake. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“But you don’t have to,” Yamcha pointed out, turning his body towards Tien because it seemed like a  _ great _ idea at the moment. “Don’t you  _ want _ to find out for yourself?”

Tien blushed harder, squirming a little bit where he sat. “I - yeah, but -“

“And trust me,” Yamcha rambled on mindlessly, “you’d have no problem getting your pick of women. Have you looked in a mirror lately, Tien? You’re  _ hot as fuck _ .”

If Tien had been blushing before, he was the color of a fire truck now - all the way down to his chest, too. He gaped at Yamcha, managing to meet his eyes for only a moment before laughing nervously and looking away. “Yamcha -“

“I mean it,” Yamcha teased, reaching out and tapping Tien’s jaw with his knuckles. “Plus you got that whole dark and brooding thing going on, chicks love that.”

Tien groaned and pushed Yamcha’s hand away. “Maybe, but it’s not like I have much experience. I’ve barely even kissed anyone.”

And that was a damn shame, in Yamcha’s opinion. He didn’t even understand how it could be true. “Well, you’re a quick study. I wouldn’t worry.”

Tien snorted. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Anytime,” Yamcha exhaled, closing his eyes again. The room wasn’t quite spinning, but there was a pleasant sway to his surroundings that felt nice. Tien also felt nice, his warmth radiating off of him in comforting waves, and Yamcha barely even realized how it was pulling him in until it was too late. He leaned against Tien, his head resting on his shoulder before he could stop himself or fully even comprehend what was happening. It just felt nice, it felt  _ right _ , and who was he to not just let it happen?

He expected Tien to stiffen and pull away, maybe ask what the hell he was doing, but he did no such thing. He simply stayed where he was, his breathing even and calming, and Yamcha couldn’t help but snuggle a little closer. 

And then, to Yamcha’s shock, Tien leaned his head against his. Yamcha’s eyes fluttered open and he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips, his heart thudding in his chest and honest to God  _ butterflies _ in his belly. When was the last time he’d felt butterflies? 

“Your hair smells good,” Tien noted lowly, taking Yamcha by even more surprise. 

“Thanks,” Yamcha replied quietly, afraid he might break the spell if he spoke too loudly. “It’s the conditioner.”

He felt rather than heard Tien snort in reply, and it only made him smile wider. This was  _ perfect _ . This was everything he’d ever wanted - just being close to Tien like this, intimate and quiet and comfortable. Even if nothing more ever happened between them than this, it was already far better than anything he’d experienced with anyone else in years. Probably since Bulma, if he was being honest with himself. 

Tien just…  _ felt so nice.  _

“.... Thanks.”

Yamcha’s eyes flew open again as he realized he’d said that out loud.  _ Shit _ . 

“Yamcha,” Tien murmured, saving Yamcha the arduous task of figuring out what to say next. “I’m sorry about earlier. This morning when I… when you got up and I saw you limping and I realized  _ why _ , it just…”

“Tien,” Yamcha began quietly, keeping his head where it was on Tien’s shoulder. “It’s fine, I swear.”

“It’s not,” came Tien’s slightly gravelly response. “I was an arrogant prick back then and I hurt you for no reason and it’s still causing you pain today. That’s  _ not _ okay. I hate it.”

Yamcha sighed, nuzzling deeply enough to almost graze Tien’s neck with his nose.  _ Almost _ . “It’s ancient history. And trust me, it’s hardly the worst pain I’ve ever felt.” Then he paused and, the gears in his head still turning despite the alcohol slowing them down, he asked, “Is that why you were so weird during our spar?”

“.... Yeah,” Tien admitted. “I almost broke your nose the other day, and then I saw your leg, and… I just can’t stand the thought of it. I don’t wanna hurt you ever again. I just wanna…”

Yamcha froze, holding his breath and his heart somehow pounding even harder than it already was. “... Wanna what?”

Tien didn’t say a word. Against his better judgment, Yamcha lifted his head and finally looked up at Tien, and his breath caught at what he saw - flushed cheeks, parted lips, and watery eyes. 

“Wanna what, Tien?” Yamcha pressed gently, his eyes searching Tien’s as the space between them gradually grew smaller and smaller. He wasn’t sure which of them were leaning in or if they both were, and it didn’t matter once he caught Tien’s gaze slipping down to his lips. 

Tien stared at his mouth, unconsciously licking his lips and muttering, “I… want…”

Tien might not have said the words, but his eyes and his body language spoke loudly enough for Yamcha to hear. Yamcha threw his last shred of caution to the wind and leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a kiss that took their breaths away. 

Almost immediately, Yamcha realized just what they were doing and braced himself even as the kiss lingered, expecting Tien to panic and pull away once the same realization hit him. Yamcha kept his eyes closed and didn’t move even after the kiss ended, and to his shock and relief, Tien’s hand slid across his cheek and into his hair before pulling him into another, even better, kiss. 

_ Holy shit _ , Yamcha thought as Tien held him close and kissed him innocently but firmly,  _ I think he really does want me _ . To test that theory, Yamcha tilted his head to deepen the kiss and nipped at Tien’s lower lip, the resulting soft gasp allowing Yamcha to slip his tongue into Tien’s mouth, and when Tien  _ moaned _ that was when Yamcha knew. 

_ Oh yeah _ , he grinned slightly into the kiss.  _ He wants me.  _ And what an exhilarating, beautiful thing that was. 

Tien broke the kiss when he felt Yamcha smiling, hand still buried in Yamcha’s hair as he eyed him. “What’s so funny?”

Yamcha opened his eyes and he couldn’t help it - he beamed at his friend, shaking his head slightly before confessing, “Nothing. I’ve just wanted this for a  _ long  _ time.”

Tien’s eyes went wide with surprise, but Yamcha kissed him before he could say a word. Emboldened and riding the high, everything intensified by the alcohol in his veins, Yamcha kissed him like he  _ meant _ it and was determined to show Tien what he was capable of and how good a lover he could be. Thankfully Tien responded in kind, kissing him back with equal fervor, and before long Yamcha ended up straddling Tien’s lap, unsure if he’d climbed there himself or if Tien had pulled him. 

Either way, Yamcha couldn’t get enough. Tien was getting bolder, the heat between them growing as his tongue tangled hotly with Yamcha’s and his hands began to wander. First Tien’s palms slid over Yamcha’s shoulders and arms, appreciating the muscles there, then down his back and to his waist where curious fingertips began to slide up the hem of Yamcha’s shirt. That was when Yamcha broke the kiss to lean back and pull the shirt off, and he was quite pleased with the greedy way that Tien raked his eyes over his newly bared flesh. It was hardly the first time Tien had seen him without a shirt, but it was definitely the first time that Yamcha had taken off his shirt  _ for _ him. 

“ _ Yamcha _ ,” Tien whispered, one hand gripping Yamcha’s hip while the other roamed over his abs and up to his chest. He cupped a pec and Yamcha inhaled sharply when those fingers brushed a sensitive nipple, and he rolled his hips over Tien’s out of instinct and made him gasp. They were both hard as hell, and Tien’s voice was rough as he murmured, “Bed, now.”

Yamcha nodded and then promptly yelped in surprise when Tien’s arm wrapped snugly around him and yanked him to his chest as he began to scramble to his feet, apparently intent on carrying Yamcha to bed. But Tien was a little bit drunk too and stumbled not once but twice once he was standing, knocking them into a lamp and then a wall, and Yamcha giggled like a teenage girl at prom night as he clung to Tien. Tien laughed too, Yamcha feeling the pleasant rumble in his bare chest, and as Tien finally walked them to the bedroom Yamcha kissed him deeply and murmured, “Don’t drop me, tough guy.”

“Don’t worry,” Tien replied as he kicked his bedroom door open and brought them inside. “The muscles aren’t just for show.”

Then Yamcha found himself tossed down to a large, incredibly comfortable bed that smelled like Tien and like  _ home _ , and he had barely a second to take in the bedroom he’d never seen before Tien was crawling on the bed after him. Yamcha wasn’t about to complain, however, happily accepting the hungry kiss that Tien gave him and groaning at how good it felt to have the man on top of him. 

It wasn’t long before Tien broke for air and began trailing his lips down Yamcha’s neck. Yamcha sighed happily and turned his head to give the other man better access, sliding his fingers down the back of Tien’s head and moaning softly as Tien’s mouth grew more insistent. He nipped and sucked hard enough to leave a mark and Yamcha was squirming beneath him, rocking up and making their cocks brush together through the thin fabrics covering them, and  _ Kami _ even  _ that _ felt amazing. “Tien,  _ fuck _ .”

“You feel so good,” Tien groaned, hips rocking into Yamcha’s as he raised his head and kissed his lips again. 

“I can make it a lot better,” Yamcha grinned before flipping them over, Tien’s back hitting the mattress noisily and all three eyes gazing up darkly at Yamcha. Yamcha shivered a little, having previously only been able to fantasize about being on the receiving end of such a lust-filled look, and he nearly forgot what he’d been doing.  _ Right _ , he thought as he brought his hands to the waistband of Tien’s loose pants, tugging them down and off and finding him completely bare beneath. 

“Holy  _ shit _ , Tien.”

“What?” Tien blushed, looking down at himself as if to check if something was wrong with him. 

Yamcha swallowed hard, eyes glued to the rather magnificent cock that had been hiding beneath those training gis for decades. “Your fucking dick is  _ huge _ ,” Yamcha blurted, managing to tear his gaze away and finding Tien blushing all the way down to his belly and looking quite uncomfortable. “Which is awesome,” he added quickly with a smirk, leaning over Tien and stealing another kiss. “You’re gorgeous, Tien.”

“Oh,” Tien murmured, his blush lingering and making Yamcha find him even cuter than usual. He reached up and brushed back some of Yamcha’s hair, a small smile playing on his lips as he added, “I think  _ you’re _ the pretty one, Yamcha.”

Yamcha returned his sweet smile and brought his lips to Tien’s neck, his first few kisses there making Tien’s breath hitch. Yamcha could hardly believe that this was real and that he really had Tien laid out naked beneath him like this, all pale firm flesh and scars and muscles born of battle and years of commitment. They’d been through so much together, had been enemies first and later allies and friends, eventually forging a bond that bridged life and death itself, and it was such a special thing.  _ Tien _ was special, and even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Yamcha forced himself to pull away and look at Tien as he asked something he should have asked when this had first begun. 

“Are you sure you want this? We’re both a little drunk and I don’t… I don’t want to fuck things up with us, Tien.”

To his surprise, Tien let out a breathless chuckle. “Yamcha, I’ve wanted this  _ forever _ .”

Yamcha’s jaw dropped. “What?  _ Really _ ?”

Tien nodded, throat working as he swallowed hard. “Are you sure  _ you _ want  _ me _ ?”

“... I’ve wanted you since King Kai, at  _ least _ ,” Yamcha replied, the words leaving his mouth without his permission. He was letting his heart take the lead for once and being completely honest, and it felt good. It felt  _ right _ . “I just never thought you’d ever want me back.”

Tien smiled then, soft and genuine. “Well, we’re a real pair, aren’t we?”

Yamcha laughed quietly, and when Tien joined in the two men took a moment to simply hold each other and chuckle at the absurdity of it all. All this time they could have been so much more if either of them had taken a chance and told the other the truth, but Yamcha had lived long enough to know that regrets would get them nowhere. They were here now, and that was all that mattered. 

But when the laughter faded away, it was quickly replaced by heat as the two men drew one another into a deep kiss. Yamcha was already addicted to the sweet taste of Tien’s mouth, unable to get enough and groaning softly as Tien’s tongue flicked at his. All the while, Yamcha let his hand start to roam the miles of tempting skin on display, enjoying the simple luxury of just  _ touching _ Tien without the pretense of sparring or anything else. Getting to touch and kiss and lick at all that warm skin just because he could was the single most exciting thing he’d experienced in years, and the lower his hand inched towards what laid between Tien’s thighs, the more he squirmed beneath Yamcha. 

But Yamcha didn’t have the heart to tease him. He broke their latest kiss to look down and watch as his own hand wrap around Tien’s dick, marveling again at the size of it as he began slowly stroking up and down. Tien gasped softly and dragged his short nails down Yamcha’s back, thrusting up into Yamcha’s hand and making him smile. 

“You’re all wound up, huh,” Yamcha murmured, leaning down and circling his tongue around a hard nipple as his hand started working a little faster. Tien hissed and jolted beneath him, and Yamcha groaned and sucked on that nipple until he decided he needed something bigger in his mouth. “Just relax,” he whispered as he began moving down lower, kissing along flawless abs and rubbing his thumb over the head of Tien’s cock, earning a strangled moan. “I’m gonna make you feel  _ so _ good.”

“Yamcha -“

“Trust me,” Yamcha smirked up from between Tien’s legs. “Only thing I’m better at than baseball is blow jobs.”

And then he proved it, taking Tien into his mouth with a blissful, muffled moan, and Tien gasped and watched with wide eyes. It had been a long time since he’d wrapped his lips around something quite that big, and Yamcha always relished a challenge. He also happened to love sucking dick - he loved oral of any kind, really - and judging by the sounds Tien was making, he was enjoying himself  _ very _ much as well. 

Yamcha worked his mouth and hand in tandem, his tongue rubbing over the sensitive underside of Tien’s dick as he sucked and, occasionally, allowing the slightest graze of his teeth. Tien was coming apart at the seams, fingers tangling in Yamcha’s hair but not pushing or pulling, his moans growing shaky and giving away how close Yamcha was getting him, but he wasn’t done yet. He moved his hand away and relaxed his throat before swallowing Tien all the way down, deep throating him like the pro he was, and Tien  _ shouted _ his name. 

Yamcha didn’t want to stop, but after a few more times he pulled off completely and panted hard as he looked up at Tien. Tien looked utterly wrecked, third eye closed and his two others heavy and dazed, and he was breathing like he’d just finished an all-out fight. Yamcha grinned, never having seen anything so delectable before. “Like that, Tien?”

“How do you  _ do _ that?” Tien asked breathlessly, and Yamcha shrugged nonchalantly as he got to his knees and moved to sit on Tien’s lap. 

“Skill and natural talent,” he winked, running his hands up Tien’s sweat-slickened chest. “Got any lube?”

Tien blinked, seemingly needing a few seconds to even process the words. “I’ve got… lotion?”

“Good enough.”

Tien then reached over to the small table next to his bed and grabbed said lotion, handing it over to Yamcha and asking as he watched him squirt some on to his fingers, “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting my fingers wet so I can open myself up for you,” Yamcha replied before reaching back behind him and doing exactly as he said. Tien’s eyes widened and roved over Yamcha greedily as he touched himself, slipping in one finger first and not even wincing at the intrusion. 

“Does that… hurt?”

Yamcha shook his head, shooting Tien a grin. “Nah, but I’m used to it now. I like it.”

Tien’s hands smoothed over Yamcha’s hips, Tien staring at him in awe. “You look amazing like this.”

“Just wait until you see me bouncing on your cock,” Yamcha retorted, and the way that Tien flushed bright in reply was just  _ exquisite _ . 

“You’re really gonna do that?” Tien asked softly, as if he couldn’t believe such a thing were truly possible. “ _ That _ won’t hurt you?”

Yamcha chuckled, slipping in a second finger. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s probably gonna take some work to fit  _ all _ of that thing in me, but I will. And it’s gonna feel amazing, for both of us.”

Tien then growled softly and sat up, crushing their lips together. Yamcha moaned into his mouth and fingered himself harder, their cocks rubbing together deliciously between their bodies. Yamcha felt dizzy with heat and pleasure and it wasn’t the leftover buzz from the liquor but rather  _ all _ Tien, all the chemistry between them that was finally being put to good use, and suddenly he couldn’t get himself ready fast enough. 

A few too-long moments later, Yamcha pulled away breathlessly and pushed Tien back down to the bed, pulling his fingers free and reaching for the lotion again. “You ready?” he asked Tien as he slicked him up, being rather generous with the lotion  _ considering _ . 

Tien nodded seriously, the look of quiet determination on his face the same one he always had prior to a battle. “Yeah. Are you?”

Yamcha smirked and got into position over him, holding Tien’s cock still as he slowly lowered himself down. “Ready as I’m gonna be.”

And  _ holy hell _ he wasn’t kidding. All the prep and lube in the world could only go so far, and as he slowly sunk down on Tien and took him in inch by inch, he realized how long it had been since he’d taken anything remotely that big. He took his time and kept his breathing even, relaxing as much as he could as he very gradually moved, and he was so wrapped up in the sensations and on the cusp of being overwhelmed by how  _ full _ he was that by the time he was fully seated, he opened his eyes and lost his breath at the sight that awaited him. 

Tien was gripping his hips in a grip like a vice, all three eyes closed and jaw set and cheeks red, sweat dripping from his brow and breaths coming hard as he visibly fought  _ hard _ to keep himself under control. Yamcha filed away the image of him like that to his permanent memory, never wanting to forget. 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Tien gasped, opening his eyes and staring at the ceiling. He swallowed hard and then shifted his gaze to Yamcha, groaning, “Don’t move yet or it’ll be over.”

Yamcha grinned and nodded, still himself trying to catch his breath and adjust. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”

“You’re so  _ tight _ and  _ hot _ ,” Tien marveled. “I’ve never felt  _ anything _ like this.”

“That’s a shame,” Yamcha remarked, leaning down and wincing briefly, quickly shaking it off and pressing a kiss to the corner of Tien’s mouth. “Guy like you deserves to have his body  _ worshipped _ .”

Tien slid both hands into Yamcha’s hair, kissing him hotly. “Gonna show me what I’ve been missing?”

“Damn right I am,” Yamcha replied, giving a tiny, experimental roll of his hips that made Tien gasp. “I’m ready when you are.”

Tien cursed again, hands sliding to Yamcha’s ass as he nodded. “Yeah. Just go slow.”

“Yes sir,” Yamcha whispered, kissing him again as he began to move. And  _ fuck _ , having Tien inside of him was even better than all his wildest dreams. 

Yamcha went slow at first for both of their sakes, gently rolling his hips and balancing himself on Tien’s chest, shuddering every time he brushed that sweet spot inside. Meanwhile Tien’s eyes and hands were all over him, his voice quiet but his body doing all the talking, and just as Yamcha started hitting his groove and  _ really _ enjoying himself, he caught a dark glint in Tien’s eyes just before he seized Yamcha’s hips and turned them over. 

Yamcha grinned and moaned softly in approval, wrapping his arms around Tien’s neck. “Gonna fuck me nice and hard, Tien?”

Tien replied with a long kiss, then gave a full, deep thrust that made Yamcha gasp in sheer bliss. Yamcha’s eyes rolled shut and didn’t catch the way that Tien watched him, his gaze fiery but tender and as heated as it was affectionate. 

As Tien gradually picked up the pace, Yamcha wrapped his legs around Tien’s waist and rocked into every new thrust, hands grasping at Tien’s back and breaths coming harder as Tien buried his face into his neck and groaned. It was so perfect and Tien felt so  _ good _ , not just inside of him but on top of him and all around him, and part of Yamcha couldn’t believe that he’d gone so long without this. Tien was so inexperienced compared to him, so new at everything he was doing, and yet it was the best sex Yamcha’d had in so long. Maybe even the  _ very _ best. 

“Yamcha,” Tien murmured hoarsely, rhythm faster and more desperately now as he gently slammed into Yamcha, their lips a breath apart, “I’m - you feel too good, I can’t -“

“It’s okay, I’m close too,” Yamcha assured him, taking Tien’s hand and guiding it between them. “Just touch me and I’ll - fuck, yeah,  _ just like that. _ ”

Between the hand now stroking frantically at his cock and the blinding pleasure coming from within, Yamcha rocketed towards his end and against the odds came first, spurting hot and wet over Tien’s hand and both of their chests. Tien gasped at the way Yamcha tightened and contracted around him, lasting two more breathless thrusts before he came with a strangled moan and bit down on Yamcha’s shoulder, shuddering through the ecstasy until he slumped on top of him. 

Yamcha was fairly sure he wouldn’t be walking right for at least a week but  _ holy shit _ , it was worth it. 

“Easy, big guy, I gotta breathe,” Yamcha croaked after a few moments when Tien’s weight on him became too much. Tien mumbled an apology and rolled off of him and  _ out _ of him, both men hissing lightly at the feel of it. 

Tien then flopped down on his back and groaned, “That was…”

“Yeah,” Yamcha agreed, staring at the ceiling. He’d sobered up a lot, to the point where the room wasn’t spinning even a little bit, and he was glad for it. He peeked over at Tien and grinned, reaching over and putting a hand on his thigh. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Tien huffed. “I didn’t even know what I was doing.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Yamcha shrugged. “Still the best sex I’ve had in… a  _ long _ time.”

Tien flushed at his words, looking Yamcha over and flushing deeper when he saw just how  _ messy _ he was. “Let me… get you cleaned up,” Tien said quietly, sitting up and easing off of the bed to head towards his bathroom. Yamcha grinned and watched him leave, appreciating every bit of the view. 

When Tien returned with a warm, wet towel, Yamcha let him clean him up and care for him, enjoying the simple attention and how gentle Tien was with him. Then when he was done, Yamcha pulled Tien back down into bed and curled up into his arms, laying his head on Tien’s massive shoulder and letting out a noise of pure contentment. 

“Yamcha?”

“Hmm?” Yamcha grunted, eyes closed and sleep calling him already. He simply felt too good and too warm, too sated to stay awake much longer. 

The arm wrapped around Yamcha shifted slightly and fingers played with his hair as Tien replied, “I’m not sure how to say this, but… I don’t like,..  _ casual _ things. I never have.” He paused. “I don’t want this to be a one time thing.”

Yamcha grinned and looked up at him. “Well then, I’ve got good news for you, pal. I don’t want that either.”

Tien’s eyes lit up with hope. “You don’t?”

Yamcha smiled wider and gave him a gentle kiss on his lips. “Hell no. I wanna make you breakfast and spar with you and… be with you. All the time. Don’t really want to do the whole waking up at the crack of dawn and freezing to death outside every day, but I can live with it if it means being with you, like this.”

“... You really mean that?” Tien asked softly, eyes shining  _ just _ a little bit. 

“I  _ really _ do,” Yamcha murmured. “If you’ll have me.”

Tien smiled, stroking a hand over Yamcha’s cheek. “Nothing would make me happier.”

Heart soaring, Yamcha nuzzled into his touch. “I’m just sorry it took us so long to get here.”

“Well,” Tien smirked before pressing a kiss to Yamcha’s forehead. “Better late than never, right?”

Yamcha couldn’t have agreed more. 


End file.
